This invention relates to lamps and illumination systems, especially compact high intensity illumination systems, and more particularly to a lamp housing that provides controlled cooling for the lamp.
Compact high intensity lamps are used in a wide variety of applications. High intensity is especially desired in imaging and display applications, such as for cameras and projection display systems. Examples of lamps used for such applications include short arc lamps and capillary lamps.
For such applications, the compact high intensity lamps may be either stand alone components or integrated into larger equipment. In either case, various housings are used to protect from mechanical damage and shield the lamp illumination.
Lamp cooling is often accomplished with some sort of convection or fan cooling. Some types of housings are designed to minimize ozone emissions, and use some sort of liquid cooling because convection or fan cooling would direct ozone outside the housing.
One aspect of the invention is a housing for containing and cooling a lamp. The housing is generally comprised of two pieces: a lamp shell and an alignment collar.
The lamp shell contains the lamp, and has an inner surface that generally conforms to the outer profile of the lamp but is slightly larger than the lamp. The result is an air gap between the inner surface of the housing and the outer profile of the lamp. The lower perimeter of the shell is open around the face of the lamp so that light may emit from the housing. The lamp shell has an air intake port for receiving air and an air exhaust port for exhausting air. The intake port and the exhaust port are on opposing sides of the shell such that the air at the intake port divides and travels inside the shell in two paths around the lamp. The shell may be further configured so that air travels past the face of the lamp and inside the reflector (where the face of the lamp is not covered).
The alignment collar provides an interface between the shell and a mounting surface. The collar has an inner top ring for supporting the bottom edge of the lamp reflector and has an outer top ring for supporting the shell. Like the shell, the alignment collar open to the face of the lamp so that light may emit from the housing.
An advantage of the invention is that it provides uniform cooling of the lamp, both to the sides and the front of the lamp. The efficiency of the cooling permits the use of a less powerful and more compact blower. This, as well as the containment of the air within the housing, minimizes noise.
Furthermore, the housing accurately aligns the lamp relative to the equipment with which the lamp is to be used. The alignment can be accomplished for mechanical, electrical, and optical components of the lamp.
The housing and lamp can be easily assembled and sold as a replacement module.